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The Deer Hunter Reviews

1978

70
from 32,916 members

One of several 1978 films dealing with the Vietnam War (including Hal Ashby's Oscar-winning Coming Home), Michael Cimino's epic second feature The Deer Hunter was both renowned for its tough portrayal of the war's effect on American working class steel workers and notorious for its ahistorical use of Russian roulette in the .. Read more

Starring	Robert De Niro, John Cazale, John Savage, Meryl Streep
Director	Michael Cimino
Genres	Drama, Thriller

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Critic's review of The Deer Hunter
View all critics' reviews (4)
- The three-hour running time is taken up with crosscutting of a wedding, a deer hunt and a game of Russian roulette. Presumably the audience has to guess the point, if any; meanwhile it may be repelled by this long and savage if frequently engrossing film.
- 31478
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:42
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of The Deer Hunter
View all members' reviews (148)
- - 21
  - 6
  Long and brilliant!
  
  Yes it maybe nearly 3 hours long but this is a brilliant film. The acting is dynamite. De Niro and Walken are fantastic, especially in the POW camp!
  
  ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 400115
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Antony Leigh
  - Manchester, England
  - 08 Jan 2007 at 14:44
Most recent members' reviews of The Deer Hunter
View all members' reviews (148)
- - 0
  - 0
  Not for everyone.... but one of the best if you understand it
  
  One of the all time greats. Brilliant acting and a fantastic storyline. Reading some of the negative reviews is hilarious- it's definitely not for the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1122871
- - DiscoMuncho
  - 4 reviews
  - Ilford
  - 01 Jun 2012 at 01:37
- - 1
  - 0
  Long but interesting and exciting
  
  Great film. It's long but it keeps hold of you the entire way. The way it is split out into three parts is interesting and gives each section real context. ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1111998
- - Nothough
  - 3 reviews
  - 17 Apr 2012 at 17:02
- - 2
  - 0
  Descent into horror, to a great melody
  
  Apparently the roulette scenes were slotted in to a Vietnam context in a script rewrite. Who knew? Fall in love with Meryl Streep, enjoy the drunken banter of ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1096097
- - RichPickings
  - 150 reviews
  - 'kin Bruges
  - 24 Feb 2012 at 13:43
- - 4
  - 0
  Stick to your Xbox dummies!
  
  There are some real thickos out there, aren't there? This film is not Rambo nor does Steven Seagal appear midway through wearing a headband while garotting ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1091469
- - looc
  - 3 reviews
  - Somerset
  - 12 Feb 2012 at 11:29
- - 1
  - 0
  John Savage -Some of the best acting in cinema history.
  
  John Savage, Christopher Walken, Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep. Their acting was superb especially John Savage in the Vietcong prison camp- some of the best ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1080321
- - a customer
  - 10 Jan 2012 at 01:06
- - 0
  - 0
  Dont try the roulette at home!
  
  Classic Vietnam war film, along with Apocalypse Now. Slow by modern standards, and a little bit 'here we are being moody, and life-like'. Walken's ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1075429
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Peril
  - 49 reviews
  - 22 Dec 2011 at 17:54
- - 0
  - 0
  The Deerhunter
  
  great acting and story, however as others have mentioned it seems a bit disjointed in parts flicking between wedding \ hunt etc.
  
  I did get the film ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1073333
- - a customer
  - 14 Dec 2011 at 12:44
- - 2
  - 0
  "One Shot Nicky, One Shot"
  
  Absolutely Brilliant. Don't ask any questions, don't look at the trailer, just watch.
  
  OMG I can't believe it has any bad reviews.
  <... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1072300
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - ryanryry
  - 5 reviews
  - 11 Dec 2011 at 05:03
- - 3
  - 6
  films quality thats all you need to know.
  
  All you clowns underneath trying to give a review on a film like this you must have all been born last week.. stick to sit coms and twilight series..
  
  Report this review
- 1070212
- - lacsines80
  - 3 reviews
  - 04 Dec 2011 at 20:04
- - 0
  - 4
  real disapointment
  
  this film sucks! if you like films that are boring and leave you wondering what the hell it was about then this is your film
  
  Report this review
- 1053469
- - youngboy
  - 2 reviews
  - 20 Oct 2011 at 20:58
View all members' reviews (148)

- - 21
  - 6
  Long and brilliant!
  
  Yes it maybe nearly 3 hours long but this is a brilliant film. The acting is dynamite. De Niro and Walken are fantastic, especially in the POW camp!
  
  ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 400115
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Antony Leigh
  - Manchester, England
  - 08 Jan 2007 at 14:44
- - 13
  - 0
  Excellent, except for that awful classical guitar
  
  One of De Niro's finest acting performances cements a riveting drama around friends who become involved in the Vietnam War. At three hours in length it ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 111659
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - McClennan
  - 424 reviews
  - St Helens
  - 07 Jun 2005 at 09:37
- - 12
  - 2
  I think I'm gonna have to watch this again
  
  Maybe I was in the wrong mood but this film really didn't affect me as much as I thought it should. The opening is very very long and pretty dull, I guess ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 54741
- - Isaac
  - London
  - 22 Nov 2004 at 15:03
- - 10
  - 1
  Epic & Classic
  
  When this film came out I wasn't even born! I've always been dubious about watching old films, its odd to see some of my favourite actors when they were... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 6487
- - Womble
  - Wales
  - 26 May 2004 at 10:37
- - 8
  - 0
  Over-rated
  
  People talk of great films - must-sees - classics, and all-time greats - the Deer Hunter is one of those films. It may be a classic, but…
  
  It ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 207239
- - teshy9
  - Telford, Shropshire
  - 15 Feb 2006 at 19:08
- - 8
  - 0
  Unbelievable
  
  Truly astounding. 100% rubbish. Cannot believe people have written even half decent reviews on this movie! Given it 1* as about 10 minutes of the movie was ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 537116
- - a customer
  - Harrow
  - 09 Mar 2008 at 19:32
- - 8
  - 1
  Too many Deers..........
  
  Erm well what can i say, this was a total wast of my time and if I ever have the misfortune to watch a Robert D epic again I will take a book with me (Just in ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 123923
- - a customer
  - Essex
  - 15 Jul 2005 at 11:31
- - 8
  - 1
  Over-long, Over-rated and Over-here
  
  Not the best war film by any means, maybe the worst. Pointless wedding scene that went on for hours, very little action in Vietnam and very depressing. Far ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 378177
- - a customer
  - Reading
  - 26 Oct 2006 at 12:25
- - 5
  - 0
  A Vietnam Classic
  
  Although the film starts somewhat slow, a bit of patience and endurance will reward the viewer with an excellent film about the horrors of war and the after ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 5653
- - K Chawgo
  - London, England
  - 10 May 2004 at 14:23
- - 4
  - 0
  A true materpiece
  
  I can believe I have lived 28 years on this earth and not seen this film until now.
  
  The film tells the story of 3 young men who are just about to ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 61067
- - Welshwaspy
  - 126 reviews
  - London
  - 29 Dec 2004 at 11:45

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Critics' reviews
- The three-hour running time is taken up with crosscutting of a wedding, a deer hunt and a game of Russian roulette. Presumably the audience has to guess the point, if any; meanwhile it may be repelled by this long and savage if frequently engrossing film.
- 31478
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:42
- "...The film remains intense, powerful and fascinating for more than three hours....The acting, throughout, is outstanding. Walken's performance is a marvel..."
- 10077
- - Variety
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
- This is probably one of the few great films of the decade. It's the tale of three Pennsylvanian steelworkers, their... read more on Time Out
- 60731
- - Time Out
  - 08 Sep 2009 at 00:54
- Included in the New York Times's "10 BEST FILMS OF 1978"
- 10076
- - New York Times
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- The Deer Hunter - HD
  
  This epic look at the Vietnam War and its effects told through the lives of a tight knit group of friends from a Pennsylvania town was Michael Cimino's second film and established him in the pantheon of American directors. Complex and emotionally raw performances from Robert De Niro and Meryl ...

- - Buy
- The Deer Hunter - Blu-ray
  
  This epic look at the Vietnam War and its effects told through the lives of a tight knit group of friends from a Pennsylvania town was Michael Cimino's second film and established him in the pantheon of American directors. Complex and emotionally raw performances from Robert De Niro and Meryl ...

- - Buy
- The Deer Hunter
  
  One of several 1978 films dealing with the Vietnam War (including Hal Ashby's Oscar-winning Coming Home), Michael Cimino's epic second feature The Deer Hunter was both renowned for its tough portrayal of the war's effect on American working class steel workers and notorious for its ahistorical use ...